The Great South, comprising the Mont-Dore and Yaté municipalities, is the most symbolic region for New Caledonia’s three main colours: blue, green and red. From the rainforest to the mining lands there are a thousand shades of green, while the ocean offers a dazzling palette of blues. But if one colour dominates the Great South, it is the specific red of its ground.

While the Great South is hardly lacking in cultural or heritage sites, such as the ancient village of Prony, the Ouen Island or the Yaté dam, it is first and foremost a destination dedicated to green tourism and the practice of sporting activities in one of the many natural or equipped spaces in the region.
The Great South is also home to the biggest park in New Caledonia, the Blue River Provincial Park. In addition to its natural wealth (giant kaori, the drowned forest...), the park is perfectly suited to VTT, hiking or kayaking, and offers an ideal setting for bathing in the clear waters of the Blue River.
From the Blue River Park to the N'Dua Reserve...
In addition to this immense park, the Great South is brimming with other nature reserves. The Madeleine waterfalls include one of the most beautiful botanic trails in the area, while the loops of nearby Netcha offer the most stunning mountain biking trails in the country. On the front of the western coast, the N'Dua reserve offers visitors a colourful spectacle and allows remote observation of the humpback whales reproducing in the area between June and September.
The Needle of Prony: a unique under-water chimney!
Generally speaking, the Great South is a hiker’s paradise. Whether climbing Mont-Dore, whose imposing mass dominates the lagoon at the entrance of Nouméa, or taking on the GR1 trail from Dumbéa to Prony, every walker will find their perfect trail!
On the East Coast, several fringing reefs offer a rare setting for diving straight from the beach. But it is at Prony that divers can have the most incredible experience exploring a unique site, the Needle of Prony. Hot water from the depths of the earth flows out of this astounding underwater chimney, discovered in 1979.
A great many humpback whales come to the Bay of Prony each year to reproduce. These magnificent cetaceans perform spectacular jumps which have become a choice subject for ‘whale watching’, particularly appreciated by tourists in the winter season. Studied in New Caledonia since 1996, humpback whales are, however, subject to necessary protection. All of the service providers associated with this activity have signed a charter of conduct, allowing whales to be observed without disturbing their movements.
Discover the must sees in the Great South
Voir plusBlue River Park
This is the most popular park in New Caledonia, undoubtedly the most incredible one. Located in the south of the Grande Terre, the Blue River Park promises a truly exotic scenery in a very unusua...
Read moreProny bay & Casy islet
In southern New Caledonia, between the Havannah and Woodin canals that separate it from Ouen island, Prony bay is like a little inner sea. At its heart, close to Somme bay, it contains a curiosit...
Read moreThe Mont-Dore
Several options are available for hikers to reach the 800-meter-high summit of Mount-Dore, dominating the lagoon south of Nouméa and a wide panorama, including the South's red earth and the small...
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